Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Recipe Review #8

A review! I don't know why this one took so long to type up. Also, the kids loved their pigs in a blanket. Sometimes effortless junk meals are worth all the unhealthy factors just for ease and the fact that kids will eat it without complaint!

This one is making me hungry now just looking at it. This recipe originated from Plum Pie Cooks.

What is great about this recipe for Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad is that for people who don't like mayo, you don't really need to use it! The main creamy base is yogurt. It calls for Greek yogurt, but I just used normal plain yogurt. It calls for 2 T of mayo too, but my guess is that is just for that tangy flavor (and honestly, I'm a Miracle Whip girl). I also added celery to the mix and boneless skinless chicken breast instead of bone-in, skin on.

I thought it was a delicious sandwich. I like this type of salad sandwich and often find that people make them too wet and mayo-y. This was not the case. Funny thing is that the one negative comment my husband made about them is that they were too dry. So, I guess it just depends on the person. I'm generally a sauce free sandwich eater, so I prefer something a little drier. Anyway, it was yummy.

What drew me to these Chocolate Coconut Bars from Every Day Food was the added comment that they taste like Samoas. Let me spare you that disappointment and let you know right away that they do NOT taste like Samoas. Just having coconut and chocolate can't bring a treat to Samoa level alone.

Often when I make these Pinterest found or any recipe, really, I use what I have even if it is not exactly as the recipe says. So, my reviews are not always reviews of the exact recipe. I guess that is why I tell you my variations. With this recipe, even with my reduction of some of the heavy ingredients, it was still too rich for me. I only had 2.5 cups worth of graham cracker crumbs instead of 3, I cut down the butter to 1/2 cup instead of the suggested 3/4, and I also reduced my toasted coconut from 1.5 cups to just 1. Unless I am bad at measuring, I also do not have a 15x10 inch pan and used a bigger jellyroll size. It was a yummy, rich treat. It should definitely be served in small portions, but if it is staring at you in a big pan in your kitchen you will likely consume it all a lot faster than you should. I decided not to keep the recipe. I really was hoping for something that tasted like Samoas, but I guess that is why you can't trust the note people add to pins.

A friend recommended this on her blog and it is something she pinned on Pinterest. It is a BIG pasta salad with grapes and broccoli from My Recipes.

My picture is totally ugly because this is the leftovers version, not freshly made. The salad was pretty good. It is the kind of thing I would make to take to a potluck or something, but not feed my own family. That sounds off, I bet, but I just think it makes way too much. It says 6-8 servings, but that was not our experience. Some of that might have to do with none of us loving it, but thing it was fine enough to consume, but not wanting to put it in any sort of permanent rotation. In other words,, ,we tossed this one.